The best baseball players born on Sept. 19

Who are the best players born on each day of the year? We have a list for every day on the calendar.

Here’s a subjective ranking of the top five for Sept. 19.

1) Joe Morgan (1943)
Arguably the greatest second baseman of all time, Morgan’s Hall of Fame career included two MVP Awards, 10 All-Star selections, five Gold Glove Awards and two World Series championships with the Big Red Machine in 1975 and ‘76. In a career full of illustrious moments, perhaps none was bigger than Game 7 of the ‘75 Fall Classic, when Morgan drove in the winning run in the ninth inning. An excellent defender who had some pop, Morgan was also a big-time baserunning threat, putting up nine consecutive seasons with 40 or more stolen bases from 1969-77.

2) Duke Snider (1926)
Another Hall of Famer, the charismatic “Duke of Flatbush” was one of the faces of the Boys of Summer. Brooklyn’s representative in the iconic trio of New York center fielders alongside the Giants’ Willie Mays and the Yankees’ Mickey Mantle, Snider hit at least 40 homers for five consecutive seasons, from 1953-57, and was selected to eight All-Star Games. He just missed out on winning the ‘55 NL MVP Award, finishing five points shy of teammate Roy Campanella. Snider was a crucial part of the first two World Series titles in Dodgers franchise history, one in Brooklyn and one in L.A.; he hit four homers and drove in seven vs. the Yankees in ‘55, and he hit a big home run in the series-clinching Game 6 vs. the White Sox in ‘59.

3) George Springer (1989)
One of the contemporary game’s elite hitters, Springer is a four-time All-Star, two-time Silver Slugger Award winner and the 2017 World Series MVP. Through 2024, Springer is tied with Albert Pujols for fifth all time with 19 postseason home runs (though it should be noted that this includes 2017, when the Astros were found to have used technology to illegally steal signs).

4) Gio González (1985)
A steady presence on the mound for the better part of his 13-year career, González was a two-time All-Star who flirted with ace-hood. In his career year of 2012, González posted a 2.89 ERA and an NL-best 9.3 strikeouts per nine innings while helping lead the Nationals to the NL East division title, the franchise’s first since moving to D.C.

5) Jim Abbott (1967)
Defying some heavy odds, Abbott pitched 10 years in the Majors despite having been born without a right hand. While pitching, Abbott would rest his glove on his right arm, then slip his glove onto his left hand for fielding; upon securing the ball, he’d use his torso to help remove the glove, grab the ball with his left hand and throw to first. And on Sept. 4, 1993, Abbott achieved baseball immortality by throwing a no-hitter, striking out three for the Yankees vs. Cleveland. It’s also worth mentioning his two regular-season Major League hits, both RBI singles. Outside of MLB, Abbott won the prestigious Golden Spikes Award in 1987 and a gold medal with Team USA at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

Want to see more baseball birthdays for Sept. 19? Find the complete list on Baseball Reference.